Due August 2021 - The Final Countdown continues...

[Daffodil21]

Continuing the previous thread!

I'll let @PurplePansy05 post the updated list

Exciting times with all these new arrivals! Congratulations folks 🎉

I’m getting cramp in the early hours every single morning at least once, last night 5x 😥
Really fed up with it- it’s not like I can move fast to stand up and relieve it!!

The annual leave situation is sometimes compounded when hospitals are using consultants on academic contracts with university (which supports research and basically means it costs the nhs less!), also if they are carrying vacancies (which most are) locum/bank staff don’t have to stick to the same rules re holiday. That on top of the issue that most staff carried over more leave from last year due to cancelling it to support the pandemic and that they are also affected by the ‘pingdemic’ makes it very difficult right now 😥 So whilst I’m not saying it’s right, I’d blame years of underinvestment and ridiculously complex processes for getting vacancies filled rather than the staff who remain.

So I lost a filling 2 months ago and had an appointment booked for this last Monday and I was going to go but the dentist said if it wasn't causing me pain I'd be better waiting until after I gave birth so I agreed. Low and behold .. it is now giving me pain 🙃🥲

@lucyrp if you head to the chemist you can get Tootypegs temporary filling kit and orajel pain killer. These should help but if it continues to really hurt you may need antibiotics. I had to wait for a root canal during my last pregnancy and labour hurt less than the infection x

Morning ladies
Quick question
Can I have gel nails done, not acrylics just gel on my natural nails? Xx

I think the nails thing depends on whether you're likely to have a c section as they might need to have a bare nail to put the oxygen sats monitor on? What have people been told now some of them have happened?

I’ve been told no gel nails @Caz1226 but I’m booked in for a section. Obviously anyone might end up with a section though. My friend was rushed in for one and they had acetone to take it off but nail polish is maybe easier then it’s less of a drama if you need it off

Thank you I might just leave it and treat myself after he’s here instead- just incase xx

It would be really annoying to pay out for them and then have to have one taken off!

Definitely! Soon as I’m recovered enough I’m getting everything it says you can’t get on the c-section list.. tan, lashes, nails, the lot 😂 been so worried I’d go early I haven’t had any of these things since about 34 weeks or something!

@sarah13xx I think I’ll do the same! I’m booked in for a cut and blow dry today- I think I might just have my own pamper night tonight with a face and foot mask haha 😂

@Caz1226 haha I did that the other night in the bath with a face mask like I was at a spa 😂 I’m absolutely desperate for a massage too but better wait to see how well recovered I am before booking that 💆🏼‍♀️

@sarah13xx I have builder in a bottle gel on my nails and went in for monitoring for reduced movements the other night and it wasn't a problem with the monitor they put on your finger ??

I’ve been in with reduced movements with gels and normal nail varnish on with no problem for the monitor but was told no Polish/gels etc for the section. I’m sure they could take it off if necessary but I’d personally go in bare nailed.

I’ll be booking in for a mani pedi as soon as I can as a treat though.

@HopefulB oh it totally makes sense with the hospitals, it can just seem a bit chaotic. I always knew the nhs was underfunded but I’ve been fortunate not to have first hand experience, it’s just news reports, but I’ve really seen it through maternity care. I wasn’t impressed with the community midwives but that’s largely down to them being overstretched. The demands of the job are highly apparent when you’re there in recovery and honestly I was fortunate to be with lovely and caring postnatal team- who were running around like headless chickens for us all. (I was also really surprised how rude and demanding some of my fellow patients were though, one in particular that was just horrible, bet they couldn’t wait to discharge her!) my husband and I came back saying a 3% pay rise is a real kick in the teeth!

There really is no benefit in being rude! If someone is exhausted, hungry, thirsty, and then upset by a difficult comment they more likely to miss something.

My OH is fully briefed to make sure the healthcare professionals looking after me have had a break - and to offer them snacks! I want them on their A game, and it costs nothing to be kind.

No gel, acrylics or colourful varnish I was told before my section.

Baby Leo Alexander doing well, he is a chunky boy at 8lb 12 oz ❤. We're staying in hospital for a bit longer, his glucose is still on a low side.

Planned C-section tips - definitely bring a hoodie to wear at the postnatal ward. Big regret I didn't! Apart from that, pack up several more extra sets of outfits in bags ready for your OH to pick up and bring in if needed. My son had three poonamis and projectile vomited formula they're topping him up with all over the 3 outfits I brought for him thinking that's plenty. That was day 1.

Ear plugs are a must, as are headphones and long phone charger lead. Eyemask might be handy too and a small electric fan.

Bring more wet wipes than you think or have them ready for OH to bring in.

Own pillow! Saved my life. Not enough comfy pillows here.

Hand cream, lip balm, bf pillow and something to put your hair up are helpful too.

Snacks, lots of snacks! Food here is very good, however I feel starving all the time!

This is from a perspective of someone who needs to stay longer in the hospital with DS of course, but I know some of you like to be prepped for the worse so I'm telling you my lessons learnt 🤣

I have hardly any bleeding at all after the section and lost minimal amount of blood during the surgery.

I can walk around fine and have done since around 12 hrs post surgery. I got clexane injections for 10 days after but no DVT stockings.

I can't bend over to lift things off the floor or anywhere below the waist/hips because there's a pulling sensation, it's not awful but have to be careful with the stitches. I also need to be careful getting in and out of the hospital bed, mine feels high for me even at the lowest setting so just be mindful of that. Apart from that, the recovery so far has been brilliant, no issues. If I was to have the planned section again, I would 100% do it, very organised and calm experience and if it wasn't for the ongoing unrelated GD complications it would have been an absolutely perfect, breezy experience.

Cathether is a b*tch when they remove it, just be aware. It's quick though.

Luckily we're being well looked after so hopefully not long left before we go home. xx

Also those of you who already have children/had their babies recently, has anyone been through your DC being topped up with formula and then trying to switch to EBF?

It looks like this is what we'll be going through and we'll be released before my milk comes in I believe. I am due to have a follow up with a BF team, but any tips would be greatly appreciated. DS can latch on atm, hoping he doesn't forget it by the time my milk is here. xx

@PurplePansy05 yes. Just keep trying to BF whilst also giving him whatever he needs formula wise. He will still get colostrum and comfort from you.x

@PurplePansy05 lovely name! And lovely update. Glad it all went for you and thanks for the tips. I hope little Leo gets the all clear soon so you can all go home ❤️

@lucyrp I’ve had nail varnish on at midwife appointments when the pulse thing goes on my finger and it’s been fine but I think they like to look at your nail as well during it to tell if you’re becoming unwell (not quite sure) 🙈

@PurplePansy05 glad your recovery is going well and the bleeding hasn’t been bad 🙌🏼 You’re filling me with hope for next week

@sarah13xx I always used to have acrylics and have had a few operations and it's never been a problem, they've even put the monitor on the side on my finger one time. They probably just set the rules so it's easy, they say the same about piercings and jewellery etc and I have a few piercings I can't take out which have been fine for operations and MRI scans etc 🙈

@PurplePansy05 congratulations on the birth of Leo Alexander - what a beautiful name. Hopefully you both get the all clear to go home. Nice to read all else is going well.

Ladies I've just got my report that I'm positive form Group B strep. Does anyone know if I can still have a water birth after this?x

Thanks for the update pansy, lovely name & glad things are going in the right direction.

There was a section in the book the womanly art of breastfeeding from LLL - but the book is pretty preachy! From what I recall it’s basically keep going with what you can and increase up gradually and your milk supply should adjust? (But don’t quote me on that).

Yes, I had to top DS2 up with formula as we were separated for 24 hours, and then my milk didn't come in until day 6 (!) which was a bit stressful but we got through it. I think he was EBF by about 8 weeks old. I did have to rely on my own knowledge a bit though as the BF support wasn't very good where I was. Hopefully it will be better for you.

Love the names!! :o

I think the most helpful things I did in terms of BF were

• Keep the "three Ks" in mind: Keep the baby close (if he is in SCBU, look at photos/videos and have as much contact and as many cuddles as you can), Keep the milk flowing (Make sure you're feeding or pumping for at least 10 mins per side, at least once every 4 hours, more often is also OK - really good!) - don't worry too much about amounts expressed, it's the stimulation which is important, and Keep the baby fed (so don't stress about formula).

• Look up how to pace bottle feed. This was really important to me and I felt it made a big difference.

• If you're doing boob for 10 mins per side then formula top up, let the baby go back on the boob afterwards if he wants to, for as long as he wants to. Also any random opportunity for a mini feed/comfort suck in between what I thought of as "proper feeds" helps too. I was meant to be logging all feeds but found it easier not to log these as the staff would be sceptical about it - but all extra milk in even if it's just a tiny amount is a bonus! I found this easiest to do once we were on the ward.

• Do skin to skin if you have the option. Ask about "kangaroo care" as your BF team should be able to help facilitate this. I did it for 1 hour a day after a morning nappy change. You can do it in a semi reclined chair or on a bed lying flat or propped up with pillows, whatever is comfortable. You open your shirt or take it off and they place baby on your chest with just their nappy and a hat on, then put a blanket/towels over both of you to keep you warm. If you're at home get DH to help you :) Once you're more mobile you may be able to do it by yourself.

• Keep asking/badgering for a feeding plan! Ask them how you'll know when to reduce/drop top ups. Ask them what they are looking for. Ask to have your latch checked (if it doesn't hurt and he's doing big swallows it's probably fine). Ask what's the next step and how to go about it. Ask where/how you can access support after you go home.

You don't have to do all of these things but they are things I found useful to do.

Also follow Lucy Ruddle on social media as she is great with mixed feeding, all things supply, and it's national BF week so should have loads of info going out.

On the formula side of things, if you're only giving tiny top ups per feed at the moment the ready made bottles are the most economical, because a powder tub has to be used within 4 weeks of opening and you won't use it up in time if you aren't giving much. See if you can buy some tiny bottles or cadge some of the disposable milk expressing containers from the hospital and wash them out. I don't know if it's the same in the UK, but in Germany we were given little teats that screw directly onto the ready made bottles. They were technically disposable but we saved them and took them home and washed them out a few times before chucking. I found more on amazon. He only needed about 50ml max for a top up, so 100ml bottles were fine for 2 feeds. We'd decant half the bottle into a milk expressing container, use the disposable/tiny teat and keep the rest in the fridge. Write the date and time on the lid. Then you can feed the other half of the milk directly from that mini bottle later.

Waterbirth with GBS shouldn't necessarily be a problem, they let me get in the pool last time even though I was positive :) As long as you have the antibiotics all should be OK. You might want to check the policy on your unit but I don't see why it would increase the risk of transmission, as the risk is already there when the baby passes through the birth canal.

Antibiotics are just 10 mins on a drip once every 4 hours. You should be able to do that in the pool I think. They leave the canula in so they just have to connect it for that time and then they disconnect the IV so it's not in your way.